Microsoft Is Testing an Ethereum Wallet in Its Edge Web Browser

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Microsoft Working on New Ethereum Wallet Amid Foray Into Crypto and NFTs: Report

March 19, 2023 The Daily Hodl

Microsoft reportedly testing Edge browser web3 wallet integration

March 18, 2023 Coin Telegraph

Coin Telegraph

The supposed screenshots show a non-custodial crypto and NFT-friendly Microsoft Web3 wallet embedded into Edge.

Microsoft is reportedly working on integrating a crypto and nonfungible token (NFT) friendly Web3 wallet into its Edge web browser.

In a March 17 Twitter thread, software documenter — and occasional info leaker — Albacore shared a series of supposed Edge user interface (UI) screenshots showing the early stages of the firm’s new Web3 wallet.

“Newest in the gauntlet of questionable upcoming Microsoft Edge features, a crypto wallet not really sure how to feel about this kind of thing being baked into the default browser,” Albacore pessimistically noted.

Newest in the gauntlet of questionable upcoming Microsoft Edge features, a crypto wallet
Not really sure how to feel about this kind of thing being baked into the default browser, what are your thoughts?
More screenshots of the UI in the next tweet ➡️ pic.twitter.com/GAUPiZGLIY
— Albacore (@thebookisclosed) March 17, 2023

The first screenshot is of an introductory page to the Edge wallet, with Microsoft seemingly noting that: “we encourage you to test our first Web3 wallet and provide candid feedback along the journey.”

If found to be true, it appears that the wallet will be non-custodial with Microsoft having no access to passwords and recovery keys, while it will also be “embedded in Edge” as opposed to being an installed browser extension.

The accompanying screenshots show the ability to swap, send and buy crypto assets, with crypto exchange Coinbase and Web3 infrastructure firm MoonPay displayed as integrated “platforms that help you purchase and deposit crypto to your wallet.”

In terms of NFTs, the UI simply states: “browse different marketplaces to find your first NFT, as you build your collection of NFTs, we’ll organize them here.”

The potential move from Microsoft marks another recent effort to significantly ramp up the offerings and capabilities of Edge, which has generally lagged behind competitors such as Google’s Chrome and Apple’s Safari in terms of popularity.

On Feb. 7, Microsoft announced the integration of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered search engines and chat via OpenAI’s ChatGPT as part of new upgrades to both its Bing and Edge browsers.

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Ankr partners with Microsoft to offer enterprise node services

February 21, 2023 Coin Telegraph

ANKR

The partnership will offer low-latency blockchain connections for Web3 projects, enabling developers to focus time on scaling their applications.

Microsoft has partnered with decentralized blockchain infrastructure provider Ankr to provide a novel node hosting service on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace. In addition, the partnership will see an integration of technology from both companies, pairing Ankr’s blockchain infrastructure with Microsoft’s cloud solutions.

Per Ankr, the enterprise node deployment service will offer low-latency blockchain connections for Web3 projects so that developers can instead spend their time scaling their applications. The service relays transactions, deploys smart contracts and can read or write blockchain data.

By upgrading its load balancer to use Azure-based routing solutions, Ankr said the firm would be able to further scale its transactions processes by efficiently routing Remote Procedure Call requests to the best-suited nodes. With the technological integration, clients will be able to manage node hosting solutions with the choice of custom specifications for memory, bandwidth and global location for blockchain nodes. Chandler Song, co-founder and CEO of Ankr, commented on the development:

“The partnership, while an incredible milestone for Ankr, is also a key indicator of how far the decentralized web has come in integrating with the crucial players in every layer of web systems. The end result will be an era of extremely prolific building for blockchain-based applications from new Web3 projects as well as large enterprises entering the space.”

Rashmi Misra, Microsoft’s general manager of artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, stated, “Many developers and organizations are exploring how Web3 can help solve real-world business challenges, and our partnership with Ankr will enable them to access blockchain data in a reliable, scalable, and secure way.”

Cointelegraph previously reported on May 14, 2021, that Microsoft shut down its Azure Blockchain Service with no official explanation. On Dec. 15, 2022, the American technology giant banned cryptocurrency mining on its cloud services, citing the need to protect its online services from risks such as cyber fraud, attacks and unauthorized access to customer resources.